When the EAN was founded in 2014, the 1st EAN President Günther Deuschl decided that we should have an EAN archive. He invited two members of the mother societies ENS and EFNS to volunteer as “historians” and become the first EAN archivists: Eberhard Deisenhammer, founding member and former archivist of the EFNS and Klaus V. Toyka, founding and honorary member, and former archivist of the ENS, together with Julia Mayer of the EAN Head Office to collaborate on the project.
It started at the first EAN Congress in Berlin in 2015. The first task was, to reflect the history of the mother societies EFNS and ENS and also the path that had to be taken to merge these big societies into one. With a large exhibition named “History Walk” the entire history was displayed for the audience to walk through and see old photos, documents and other memorabilia.
The second task for us archivists was, to report about the highlights of the Congresses, using all images and photographs taken during the congress. This was done in the form of an annual “congress photo booklet” and an update of the Archive website. This task was the most interesting and tedious as we had to go through thousands of photos to find the best and allocate them within a comprehensive overview.
When Eberhard Deisenhammer resigned from the post of the Archivist in 2016, Christian Krarup, honorary member of the ENS, was invited by the president G. Deuschl and established as successor of. E. Deisenhammer. The setting up of a comprehensive EAN Archive webpage was and still is another stepping stone in the annual work process.
Even in the years of the pandemic the EAN congresses took place – first held online only, and then as a hybrid congress. In these difficult years of restrictions, the booklets were created and kept us historians busy.
The collections of the archive include all different facets of the EAN congresses, including teaching course, scientific sessions, named lecture, opening ceremonies with honorable lecturers, and the assembly of delegates. But it also reflects the networking within the large numbers of neurologists, the receptions, the fun times and last not least the cultural events
On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the EAN in 2024, several articles were published in the European Journal of Neurology: the EAN Presidents reflected on the past 10 years, a team of co-authors including the founding members and ENS presidents went back the memory lane: the History of the ENS 1986-2014, and one of the former EFNS presidents also reflected on their history: EFNS – Parent to the EAN.
After 10 years of serving the EAN as archivists we, Klaus Toyka and Christian Krarup, have chosen to step down. Fortunately, the EAN Board decided to keep the Archive vibrant and our colleague David B. Vodušek was asked to take over as the new archivist.
David B. Vodušek was the Chairman of the Slovenian University Department of Neurology and served in various committees of the EAN including the EAN Board; He also served on the Board of Neurology of the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS).
With the ongoing support of Julia Mayer and the Head Office team he will continue the work efficiently. We wish him and the EAN that the Archive will continue to thrive in keeping the past history of the European Academy of Neurology alive. All members are encouraged to learn about the important EAN activities.
“Appreciating the past is the basis for future development and innovation and allows us looking forward and developing new visions”
Klaus V. Toyka, Würzburg, Germany
Christian Krarup, Copenhagen, Denmark
